Random Thoughts

Reason why I joined Twitter Blackout

2012-01-28T23:52:00.000-08:00

No matter what excuse anyone, any company or any government gives, censorship can never be justified. There is a time to compromise and time to have the guts to stand up for what is right. Twitter should have had the spine to stand up for freedom of speech even if it meant getting blocked in its entirety by oppressive regimes. By agreeing to censor certain tweets locally, twitter compromised every value it represented and disappointed its global users. When we sit in our warm cushy chairs in United States of America, it is easy to say, don’t worry; it’s much ado about nothing, but we must never forget those who live in countries whose rights are stolen by their government every day. Oftentimes, their only way of escape is through writing. If we take that away from them, even on a local level, we too have stolen from them.

I am a writer. I would be a hypocrite if I didn’t participate in twitter blackout. Accepting any from of censorship goes against every inch of my values, morals and principles. Governments, big businesses and a handful of billionaires/trillionaires start taking away people’s freedom gradually. First they get a population used to the idea, then they get them to agree to the small stuff and before people know it, many of their rights will be taken away. This is only the beginning. Caving to censorship will contribute to assassination of freedom of speech in years to come.

2012-01-18T15:08:00.000-08:00

SOPA and PIPA are in violation of our constitutional rights. End Piracy, Not Liberty. Tell congress don't censor the web.

Photo Contributor: Idea go

NDAA violates the US Constitution and must be dissolved in its entirety

2012-01-10T18:12:00.000-08:00

More than a month ago, I signed a petition complaining about the NDAA – National Defense Authorization act. A few weeks later, I received an email from California senator Barbara Boxer assuring me that she will do everything she can to assure the safety of “Americans.” The email disturbed me because I thought what about the safety of people who are not “Americans?”

Some time after that, I received another email from a well-known organization expecting me to applaud Senator Dianne Feinstein and other senators for introducing legislation to undo provisions of the NDAA, in the form of the Due Process Guarantee Act. This is what it said:

The Due Process Guarantee Act of 2011 amends the Non-Detention Act of 1971 by providing that a Congressional authorization for the use of military force does not authorize the indefinite detention—without charge or trial—of U.S. citizens who are apprehended domestically.

WOW!!!! These senators along with the organization asking me to sign on must think that the American Public is really stupid. I deleted the email because it didn’t deserve a response. A few days later I got another email asking why I didn’t join in and sign their petition and spread the good news through twitter and facebook. I decided to give them a piece of my mind. This is what I said:

The NDAA must be reversed in its entirety. By signing this, you are asking me to agree with the rest of the crap in the NDAA. I am absolutely against the NDAA in its entirety. And this statement that you emailed me and dear Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer agree with is an insult to my intelligence.

If apprehended domestically?? What does this mean? What if I happen to be visiting France or Germany? Then they can take me away for no reason and dump me in some foreign prison? And what about those who are not American citizens? They are human beings. There is no difference between an American and any other nationality. Humans are humans. We must care about all humanity. We must protect human rights no matter one's nationality. So I say No to the entire inhumane NDAA!

And to be honest, I hope that one day soon, the NDAA will bite back those who signed on to make it into law.

Merry Christmas Everyone

2011-12-23T21:28:00.000-08:00

In the area where I live, it never snows unless you're willing to drive about an hour or so to outside the Los Angeles city limits towards the nearby mountains. And believe me, if anything looks remotely close to snow, Angelenos will be out with their cameras trying to capture the moment like a tourist who has just seen the Eiffel tower for the first time. The first year I moved here, it actually hailed. Me and my classmates were so excited as we ran outside, only to be hit by a whole bunch of ice balls. It was fun.

This year, My cousin and I decided to head out to the Grove/Farmers market for an early dinner while watching the fake snow, Christmas decorations, the trolley and Santa's house. There are two sections: The Farmers Market which has been around for years and the Grove which was added not long ago. Farmers Market is more flavorful and traditional with boutique shops and no frills eateries and the Grove is more modern with chain restaurants and stores, movie theaters and a large round water fountain which dances to Italian music. It's easy to spend an entire day there, but the parking can be pricy even with validation.

While there, I got inspired by my cousin's enthusiasm to take some photos. So, do enjoy and a Merry Christmas to all of you.

On top of the movie theater behind me, there is a machine that spits out snow.

Moved my phone camera up for a better view.

I have no idea who is the man with a hood. I guess he was too tall for me to avoid him.

Last photo opp before we start walking towards the ginger cookie house.

Heading back. Taking a hurried shot before someone passes in front of my camera.

The crowd shifting in my direction.

Ginger cookie house where parents and children line up for a photo opp with Santa.

Side view of the Trolley. It takes passengers from the west end/farmers market to the east end/grove.

Last photo: The rear view of the trolley as it rings its bell for fun and for the crowd to move out of its way.

The finality of death

2011-12-01T18:50:00.000-08:00

Image by farconville

My mom passed away on July 13, 2011 and I have been so depressed that I haven’t written anything since then. It’s been very difficult dealing with her death, especially since I’m not all that religious. I was born a Muslim and I have no intention of changing into a different religion because I believe my character is not defined by religion, nationality, race, sex and etc. I am who I am, regardless. I am enough. I don’t need to defend myself to others and frankly I really don’t care what anyone thinks about me because those who love me, know the kind of pain-in-the-ass I am, but they also know that I am loyal and will always be there for them, no matter what.

Anyway, getting back to my concept of death - I suppose people who are religious or those who believe in after life, heaven, hell, souls, ghosts and things as such, have an easier time with death. I have been searching for an answer over and over, but to date, I have none. The truth is that nobody knows what happens after we die. I’m even skeptical of people who have had a near death experience and say they’ve seen light, tunnel and etc. I can’t help wonder that their stories was nothing but hallucination and a figment of their imagination based on the stories of what others have said. Bottom line, I don’t know. I’m not sure of much these days.

I was talking to my older cousin the other day and as usual we started to have an argument.

She said, “If there was no purpose and this was it, then everyone would start cheating, lying and killing each other.”

And I said, “people are already doing that; just look at all the leaders, politicians, CEOs and their friends.”

She said, “Then how come you’re not going after someone’s blood?”

“Well…that’s because I have ethics, morals and principles. I am definitely flawed, but when I compare myself to the rest of people living in this world, I realize that I am a good person,” I replied.

“And how did you learn all those things?” she asked, goading me to blurt that it was my religion who taught me all those things.

“I didn’t learn it,” I responded. “It is inseparable from who I am and has nothing to do with religious beliefs. Some people have it, some just don’t and some sway in between. Besides, most killing and wars are done under the pretext of religion.”

After we hung up, I realized that my cousin’s fear was getting punished after she died. She was afraid that she was going to be judged and so, that’s why she tried so hard to be good. Someone once asked me if I go to church on Sundays and I said no, I’d rather go out with my friends and have fun. She said, “well, some of us need to go to church. Some of us need guidance.”

Anyhow, I’m not writing this to discuss religion or lack thereof; I’m just writing to ask the difficult questions. What if this is it? What if when we die, everything comes to a complete halt? What if there is no purpose to life. We are born, we live and then we die – end of story. And if this is the case, then everything in life becomes meaningless. If you spend your whole life building strong relationships with those around you and then suddenly that relationship ends completely because that person has passed away, isn’t life just a waste of time?

Someone long ago wrote, I’m so tired of living. At the time, I thought what a strange comment coming from someone so young. But now I understand the statement after losing my mom who was also my best friend. I feel like I have lost not one, but two of the most important people in my life. And when I sit down, lost in all the paperwork, bills and other responsibilities, I say, “I’m so tired of living.” But we’re all stuck here until one day, we too will go away. Where will we go? I have no idea. Most likely nowhere.

An Easter Brunch at I cugini

2011-05-03T22:35:00.000-07:00

Everything went wrong in the morning. My friend had food poisoning from last night’s outing with friends and couldn’t go to the Easter brunch we had planned weeks ago. Disappointed, I got busy doing my normal routine, juicing and preparing my mom’s breakfast. When Sandy arrived to help out with my mom, I decided that I really wanted to get out and do something fun.

I called up a friend of mine who had no plans for the day and decided to meet at I cugini. When we got there, the place was packed, but no worries; I had a reservation for inside seating for two. Except that the hostess told us we had to sit in the patio or wait a longtime. I asked to speak to the manager and when he came over, he told us the same thing.

I told him that there were a bunch of empty seats in the back and why couldn’t we go sit there. At first he was defensive because he couldn’t come up with an excuse. I think he was saving those seats for a very large party and didn’t want to say so because he knew I would get on his case. He said he had no space and that there were others waiting. And to make matters worse, he offered me a crappy table in the bakery. I told him that I did not want to sit there and that I did not care if others were waiting. That was his problem and not mine for overbooking. I had made a reservation for inside seating long ago and that he should honor it.

We got into an argument and all I could think about was that if he doesn’t seat us, I’m going to write a bad review about the place on Yelp. Luckily, he gave us a good table and tried to fake a smile. I didn’t really care whether or not he liked me. The point was that we got a good table and a nice person to serve us. Yes I know, I sound mean, but I just don’t like people pushing me around and making me feel bad for their mistake. Besides, the other guests were nodding their heads and agreeing with me as I complained, but they didn’t have the guts to speak out. I mean really…why the heck did they overbook and especially on Easter? And why didn’t they offer a discount or free mimosa and appetizers at the bar for making their guests wait for so long? Truly not smart of them.

Anyway, as I said, all turned out okay and after that things went by smoothly. Below are a few pictures I took while there and later on when my friend and I went for a walk. And by the way, I do recommend this place for Brunch even after all my prior complaints. They had a decent selection of dishes and once we sat down, the service was good. And in case you’re wondering why I waited way past Easter to write this, my photos didn’t turn out well because of the lighting and I had to fix them.

The Bar

The inside

Salad table


	Main entrées

Seafood: Oysters & shrimp

Freshly made Pizzas, pastas & omelets


Chocolate fountain & fruits/Behind it, a bakery w/vaious pastries

Prosciutto, beets, Sautéed mushrooms and grilled vegetable salad

Tiramisu, banana dipped in chocolate, fudge tart & chocolate custard puffs. Make sure you save room for dessert, especially for the tart and the puffs

Earlier before this band, there was a jazz band.

Member of the band, posing for me to take his photo

The patio with heated lamps

Bunch of people celebrating a birthday

We walked outside, I bought a purse at a nearby store and then we headed to the Santa Monica mall

This man outside the mall had his dog dressed like an Easter Bunny. Everyone was stopping and taking a photo.

The old Santa Monica Mall, now renovated

On Saturday afternoons, this outdoor mall is packed with crowds dinning, walking, shopping & watching various performers

After the old mall, we walked back past I cugini toward a walkway and a cliff

The cliff overlooks the Santa Monica beach & pier, a restaurant w/a water view, roller coasters and a Ferris wheel. I used to spend numerous hours on the pier as a teenager

Military Trial vs. a Civilian Trial for the 911 Attackers

2011-04-06T13:01:00.000-07:00

An Iranian once said to me, stop complaining. You're lucky to be living in America - the land of the free and I said, yes, but if we don't take care, we too will lose all of our freedoms.

After 9/11, many engineers said it was not possible for buildings to melt away the way they did during 9/11 (see this video). Many have said 9/11 was all preplanned (see this video). Of course, these claims are all filed under “conspiracy theory” in order to discredit the entire idea.

I guess what one needs to analyze is the aftermath of 9/11. Former President George Bush came out and said, “You are either with us or against us.” I don’t know about you, but to me that sounds like a speech given by Hitler. So, from that point on, no one dared to question the authorities. As a result, the Patriot act came about and soon Americans began to lose their constitutional rights. Bush went into Iraq, claiming “weapons of mass destruction” which were never found. And anyone who dared to question the ethics of this attack on innocent civilians would soon be labeled as “unpatriotic.” The media began advertising the word “Terrorism” and soon there was this fierce fear instilled in the average American. Not to mention the unfair treatment of the citizens of middle-east as they traveled each time through the hostile airports of western governments.

After Bush and his cronies painted their red mark on United States, President Obama took over and went into Afghanistan looking for terrorists and a phantom named Bin Laden. Never mind that Bin Ladin was already found once and orders came from the higher ups not to touch him (See Blocking the Path to 911). So, why all the charades? I mean, the first time Bush found out about the hit on the two towers, he didn’t even look surprised. The CIA and the FBI both had information about those who were flying the planes, but did not do anything about it.

Of course later on when Bush came out and said “Mission accomplished” in regards to Iraq, we did not know what he was talking about. The bodies of American soldiers were still getting shipped home on a regular basis and the poor innocent Iraqi men, women and children continued to be killed and categorized under the margin of error. So, I believe what Georgie meant by “Mission accomplished” was that now, we are able to control Americans by allowing illegal searches, giving more power to the TSA and wiretapping anyone and everyone. I guess taking away the liberties of the American people falls under the Bush's motto of mission accomplished.

And now we have the trial of 911 attackers which President Obama had promised to be carried out in a civilian federal court. But what if the lawyers of the 911 attackers put up a good fight? What if the truth leaks out? No, we cannot have that. So, there we have it. A corporation backed congress, those who control America and the stupidity of some who support a military trial push to keep the truth from coming out. Perhaps as the world knows today that the Kennedy assassination was preplanned, the world will someday find the truth behind 911. However, by then, it would be too late as all the rights of Americans will be taken away.

Unusual Events

2011-04-04T00:13:00.000-07:00

Well, I haven’t blogged in ages. Why? Because writers are emotional creatures. And if you are a Cancer sign like me, you know exactly what it’s like when you get hurt badly by someone you love and you go hiding in your shell for a longtime. But I’m not even going to go there. Not ready to talk about it. They say life’s an adventure. The dictionary explains adventure as an unusual or exciting experience and I must say, mine has been more unusual lately and much much less exciting.

My mom has been taking a turn for the worse for the past month. It’ been so difficult to handle it after all the effort I have been putting in and after all that I had to give-up in my life so that I could make a difference in hers. She was a little better today which made me happy. But then, my few minutes of contentment disappeared when I realized there’s a rat in house. Yes, a rat. And I don’t mean a despicable person one would want to kick out but a real live rat.

About 5 days ago, I noticed there was a tear in the plastic bag that holds my oatmeal. At first I thought that perhaps the plastic caught on something and tore. So, I didn’t think much of it. Then a few days ago when I was putting away some groceries, I noticed some black stuff on the floor which I thought were debris from the fruits. So, I cleaned it up and threw it in the trash. Today, I went to grab a bag of oatmeal and all the oatmeal poured to the floor. There was now a huge tear in the new bag of oatmeal. And that’s when I connected the dots, especially when I noticed that there was more black stuff on the floor.

Upon closer look, I realized the black stuff were rat droppings. Scared, I grabbed a vacuum cleaner and cleared the carpet, only to find that the rodent or the rodents had peed on the carpet, marking their territory. So, tomorrow I have to call the pest control and ask them what to do. And no, I do not want those sticky things that people put around to catch the rat. I do not want to torture any creature. I’m hoping that now that I have removed all traces of oatmeal, the rat would find it’s own way back into the yard and let me be. I do not like to kill anything, not even a cockroach.

So, there it is – my life lately is definitely not exciting but is rather comprised of series of unexpected, unwanted and unusual experiences. Perhaps this is the path I’m supposed to follow. I have no idea where it’s leading but it sure hasn’t been a fun journey. Well, I take that back. When I was at the hospital in Mexico with my mom, I met a great bunch of cancer patients and the friends they had brought along. And I want to write a book about mine and my mom’s experience there and what followed after but thing just keep going wrong one after another. My days and nights are filled with continuous interruptions and lack of sleep.

And I know there are many people in this world with much bigger problems but as a friend of mine once said to me, your problems are your problems, don’t compare them to those of others; except though, I don’t want to feel like I’m a victim. I want to try to make things better. I just haven’t yet found a solution.

Who Are the Terrorists? The NATO or the Afghans?

2011-03-03T18:50:00.000-08:00

Imagine that you are an 11-year-old in Afghanistan with hardly any food, water or warm clothing. You have to somehow survive the freezing temperatures. You go looking for firewood with your friends and siblings to keep warm. Then the foreign forces invading your country start shooting and killing your friends and siblings because they think you’re nothing but insurgents. And when the world find out about it, all you get is “Sorry but we made a mistake.”

A mistake is rear-ending another car because you weren’t paying attention. A mistake is filing an insurance file in an accounts receivable file because your mind was preoccupied with something else. Killing 9 children is not a mistake, it is an unforgivable atrocity. But you see, these children were Afghans and nobody cares. If they were westerners, we would have never heard the end of it.

Moreover, I was astonished by the idiotic response from NATO:

Gen. David Petraeus said Disciplinary action, if warranted, would be taken. But we all know that this is a bogus statement as Petraeus is well known in the US as General Betray Us of the Bush Administration.

Lt. Gen. David Rodriguez said "we acknowledge we have to do better," was yet another stupid response. It's like saying “Sorry we killed your children but we’ll try to do better next time and kill 8 instaed of 9.”

What’s terrifying is that prior to this 65 civilians were killed by NATO.

I’m told to be an optimist, don’t be a pessimist. But how is this possible? Am I to shut my eyes to all the cruelty around me? Is this attitude really real? Yes, I can sit in my comfortable well-stocked and well-heated home and shut myself from all the bad news. But then, I would be living in an illusion. And if choose not to live in an illusion, how is it possible for me not to be affected by so many stories alike, especially when I know that the reason behind these so-called “mistakes” is a corporate thirst for greed and power.

This story about the murder of Afghan children will hunt me for years to come. And I can’t help but think that we live in a cold heartless world. Earlier, I was skimming an article in a magazine about how to live a very long life and I found myself wondering whatever for?

The preplanned revolutions of the middle-east and the end of democracy

2011-01-29T15:54:00.000-08:00

One would have to be incredibly naïve to believe that the protests in

Tunisia

Yemen

Egypt

and

Jordan

are mainly due to economy and “people power,” and the trickle effect of “oh it all started with the Tunisian and now other middle-eastern countries are following suit.” Of course, I was once part of the naïve crowd who believed in the power of people but as I see with my own eyes that the last of the last democracies crumpling in the United Corporate of America, I make myself sit back, analyze and question all the information presented by the media.

Today, revolutions are pre-planned. Georgia's rose revolution and Ukraine's orange revolution was organized by a billionaire living in the U.S. Chaos is created, dictators are removed and installed, religious governments are supported and highly tolerated and democracy has lost its meaning and value. You don’t believe me? Here are a few examples. Americans did not want a war in

Iraq

. Americans want out of

Afghanistan

. Majority of Americans are against

America

’s support of the settlements in

Israel

. Americans hate Monsanto because Monsanto is corrupt. They want the Fed to be audited because the fed is not “federal.” They are bunch of foreign bankers who don’t give a s--- about anything except their pockets. But none of these matter. Because

America

is no longer a government by the people for the people.

I find it Ironic when Obama, Hilary, Kerry and Merkel tell

Egypt

not to harm protesters when at the 2009 G20 Summit in pittsburgh, American police attacked and harmed the protesters.

So, getting back to what’s going on in the middle-east. There are several things that will happen in

Tunisia

Egypt

and wherever else these revolutions are preplanned.

1. These countries will be left in chaos or

2. A military state will be formed or

3. Another dictator controlled by the powerful forces will be installed or

4. An Islamic government will be formed, but

5. True democracy will not take place.

Below are some links to open up your minds to see these revolutions for what they truly are – a creation of those behind the scene who will benefit immensely from people’s sufferings. And please be smart and do not point the fingers just at the

U.S.

Those who control our world today come from all walks of life and they dictate how things should run. They come from many nations and not just one nation! From north to south and east to west, many leaders are under their control and are told what to say and do. Right now, the average person does not know which direction

Tunisia

and

Egypt

(and perhaps

Yemen

and

Jordan

) will go, but those who instigated these revolutions have a precise plan for these countries and those plans do not include democracy.

What's Next for

Tunisia

? (we don't know but they sure do)

Tunisia

, a struggle at risk of being forgotten (chaos)

Wikileaks document revealing the American government is backing protesters behind the Egypt uprising

(still say it’s the “power of the people”?)

Egypt

turns off internet, Lieberman wants same option for US (control of the US population)

Haas: We Should be concerned. Last thing we want to have, say, is an

Egypt

in chaos or an

Egypt

dominated by Islamic fundamentalists. (yet another Islamic government)

Whether the unrest from

Tunisia

Egypt

will result in democracy is unclear (is it unclear?)

President Obama, say the 'D-Word'(say what? We're even starting to lose the "illusion" of democracy in America. What makes you think you will have it better?)

GOP pushing for ISPs to record user data (what happened to the Constitution?)

US to penalise the EU & countries which did not support the use of GM crops. (what happened to the voice of the people?)

Oversea drug trials exploit and kill poor in developing countries (chaos & corruption benefit the bigpharma)

Wall Street has hijacked Washington while “we the people” suffer (where is the democracy?)

The Nostalgia of carefree lazy days

2011-01-21T15:24:00.000-08:00

Photo contributor: Rosemary Ratcliff

Today was neither a good day nor a bad day. It was just a day. A day to reflect on life, love, family, work, leisure time and being just lazy. I haven’t had any lazy days lately – no time for it. Although I have had lazy moments, but it’s not easy to enjoy lazy moments because I keep looking at the clock to see how much time I have left before my next task. I find that the older I get, the more complicated life gets, especially since my elders, once middle-aged are now moving into a different category – the senior citizen category with aches and pains and many complaints. As I watch them complain, I often wonder about my own mortality. Will I become like them? How much life I have left ahead of me and will it be a quality life or will I end up in some nursing home?

When I was a child, these thoughts never even entered my mind. I used to watch my grandmother write and recite poetry, sew and Iron. Sometimes when she didn’t feel well, she’d sit in a squatting position. “What’s the matter with grandma?” I’d ask my mom. “Her stomach is bothering her,” my mom would answer. And perhaps I felt bad for a minute before my brother would whisk me off to play hide and seek. I was completely in a different world, oblivious to life’s tragedies and disappointments until after college when I was running a retail store and the responsibilities kept piling up.

And responsibilities don’t always bother me. I like being busy and having lots to do, but I also enjoy having quiet time. So here I am today missing my carefree days and wondering if I will get them back.

The politics of human rights

2011-01-16T20:46:00.000-08:00

Photo contributor: Idea go

Let’s face it, in a world where all ethics has disappeared, governments do not care about human rights. In fact, in the eyes of world leaders, activists are considered a pain in the rear. A handful of families who run the Corporations who run our world, our leaders and our governments prefer people who are sheep. So, why do activists of certain countries get more attention than those of other countries? Simple – it’s all due to their political relationship with the western governments. Take Saudi Arabia for example, the so-called secret society. The news everywhere rarely covers newsworthy information from the Kingdom and yet, they are one of the most oppressive regimes in the world. Have a look at Dubai and their promotion of slavery by hanging on to the passport of poor foreigners and forcing them to work for little or no pay while their ostentatious towers reach the sky. When was the last time you saw a negative coverage of Dubai in the mainstream media? So the next time you wonder why the media does not care about the activists in your country, have a look at your country’s political relationship with the forces that control our world.

Another factor that gets calculated in the equation is if a leader can be controlled. After the recent revolution, Tunisia may have a new leader who gives more liberty to their citizens, but if that leader does not succumb to the needs of the families who run the corporations who run our world, mark my world, that leader will be replaced by another who is willing to kiss many behinds in order to keep his/her power and fill-up his/her bank account in various countries such as Switzerland even if he/she violates all aspects of human rights.

A good example is Iran. Iran had democracy in the 50s, that democracy was squashed by corporations and western governments and replaced by dictatorship so that they could get free oil. In the meantime, the shah tortured all opponents of his regime and there was little coverage of it in the news. Then the west decided to remove the Shah because it no longer needed Iran’s oil. They had found a new oil provider with richer oil fields. During this transition at least 30,000 were tortured and killed. Still little coverage in the media. And today…well…the world had shut up about the entire Iran thing until recently when Iran continuously increased its influence in the middle-east.

So, there has been more coverage of the Iranian activists but for how long? Perhaps until another deal is struck under the table. And after that, the well controlled media will zip up their lips and instead cover some cat who got caught in the tree or a reality TV star who cheated on his wife. That is the politics of human rights. Nevertheless, as activists, we do what we can in our own limited way to bring voice to the innocent and the oppressed.

10 tips to overcome Depression and Migraine

2011-01-04T18:35:00.000-08:00

Photographer: Salvatore Vuono

Once in awhile, Depression and headaches are normal in your life. But when they happen too often, then you need to take care of the problem. Many situations, such as an illness, loss of a job or a relationship gone wrong, may affect your psychological health. What indicates a healthy mind, body and spirit is how quickly you bounce back from depression and migraine headaches. So here are some tips that have helped me in my life and I hope that they will help you to a fast recovery.

1. Limit your television time. The radiation from T.V affects your brain and television in excess has been linked to depression. Basically limit your time when you use all technologies – PC, Cell Phone and etc.

2. Don’t just go to a gym or a closed space to exercise. Get out doors and go for a long walk, preferably somewhere with lots of trees. The walking, the fresh air and the sun or the clouds (yes, the clouds!) increase the serotonin in your brain and help make you feel better.

3. Don’t read or watch the News 24/7. Sometimes all the bad news can sour your mood. I should know. I'm a human rights activist.

4. Change your diet. Toxins in foods cause Migraine and depression.

Vegetarian: I once sat at a lecture given by Charlotte Gerson and she told us how both she and her father got rid of their migraines permanently by avoiding animal products and yes, that includes milk, eggs, cheese and yogurt. Also, if you can afford it, eat only organic or if you have a garden, plant your own food. Pesticides and toxins stay in your system and cause havoc on your body. But if organic food is too expensive for you, then wash your fruits and veggies in ½ cup vinegar and ½ cup water, leave it there for about 15 minutes and dry.

Carnivore: If you can’t live without animal products, then you must eat only organic. Also, do your own research or subscribe to Dr. Mercola’s newsletters who will teach you all there’s to know about animal products. Non-organic meats and products come from animals which are injected with antibiotics and are given garbage food to feed on to make them plumb and suitable for Corporations to make fat profits.

Also, Stay away from caffeine, sodas, diet sugar, fried foods and junk food. They have a tremendous negative impact on depression and migraine headaches because they’re filled with toxins. Better to learn to like herbal tea and to replace junk food with organic raisons, dates and fruits.

5. Get at least 6-8 hours of sleep. Your brain cannot function properly without adequate amount of sleep. If possible, it’s better to always go to bed at the same time and get up at the same time.

6. Keep your colon clean by juicing. Drink 8 oz vegetable juice, 8 oz carrot juice and 8 oz fruit juice everyday. It is really important to have regular bowl movement everyday so that your body can get rid of all the toxins that enter your body from the air, water and food. FDA & EPA do not have your best interest at heart. They work for corporations!

7. Avoid drugs and go for natural supplements. My favorite websites for learning about what’s good for you are DR Mercola’s, Natural Health News and Gerson (With Gerson, you need to be a patient or buy their books/dvds or attend their seminars but it is well worth your money.)

8. Meditate – Meditation is really hard for many because they cannot sit still. Some people have told me that when they shut their eyes, all they can think of is their problems. So, here’s a trick, let the problem come to your head, take several deep breaths and let it out and then say, I will deal with you after I’m done with my meditation and then let it go. Keep doing this with each problem that comes to your mind until your mind goes blank. If this still doesn’t work for you, then put on a mellow classical music, lay down and cover your eyes with an eye mask, take in a few deep breaths, and allow the music to relax you for 5-10 minutes.

9. Keep a journal and write down your feelings about the person who dumped you, the bills that are piling up on your desk, the pain you have in your legs or whatever else you want to write about. You may even want to write a letter to that person you’re so angry at just to get your feelings out. You can always discard it later or perhaps decide to send it – whichever works for you.

10. Make good friends. I have a handful of great friends and a loving family. When I fall into depression, I don’t want to call anyone. But my family and friends are persistent like me and somehow figure out a way to find me. As they push me and I grumble and respond in irritating tones, I eventually come out of my shell and chat which always makes me feel much better.

Happy New Year or Not!

2010-12-31T23:50:00.000-08:00

Photographer: jscreationzs

2010 was not a good year for me and perhaps that’s why I’m hesitant to celebrate 2011. I was invited to go out tonight but decided not to go. And to be honest, I have no energy left in me from the running around I do all day, everyday. Tonight, I just want to sit next to my heater, drink my hot Chamomile tea and do absolutely nothing. I know I sound like an old lady but life threw me too many curves this year and truly wore me out.

Nothing turned out the way I wanted and many events took place which were beyond my control. Every time something happened, someone would say, “sorry but it’s not my fault.” And my answer was, "yes, it was not your fault, but somehow I’m always the one paying for all the mistakes others make." At times, I want to pack up and take off without leaving a trace behind – somewhere where no one knows me so that I can do what I want without all the constant interruptions.

The phone in my house rings often and I know that my friends and family mean well and want to see how I’m doing, but there are times when I just don’t feel like talking. I want to go to bed, pull the covers over my head and never wake up. But I can’t do that; can I? I have endless responsibilities and as one ends, another begins. Does life ever get easier? What’s the purpose to all this? What lessons am I to learn? Are some of the questions I ask myself and have not yet found the answers. So, with that note, I will leave 2010 tonight and wake up in an uncertain 2011. I just hope that it will be better than 2010.

Thank goodness for dreams because without them, life would be boring

2010-12-17T22:38:00.000-08:00

Photographer: Simon Howden

I haven’t written anything in a longtime. I feel completely blocked and unmotivated. Although I do like cooler temperatures, this time of year isn’t one of my favorites. The days are shorter and the nights long. At 5:00 p.m. it feels like it’s time for bed. Perhaps I’m spoiled because I grew up in L.A – mild temperatures and lots of sunshine. In college, I used to take my accounting book to the beach; my roommate would bring along her business law book. We’d sip on ice tea and get a tan while doing our homework.

Why am I babbling away about this? I don’t know. I’m just in a weird space. It’s been dark and cloudy for the past three days. It finally rained a bit today and I feel nostalgic. I try not to think about the past because I cannot change it and I try not to think about the future because it hasn’t yet arrived. All I have is the present but sometimes when I’m not content with the present, my mind starts to travel back or leap forward.

Today for some odd reason or another, I feel a deep emptiness. I try hard to shake it but it doesn’t want to go away. I can’t really explain it. It’s just how I feel. I guess I need a vacation – at least a week away from everything where I can visit museums, inhale a new city and culture and have no responsibilities. Ahhh…that would be so great. Okay, so I just leaped to the future, thinking about all the possibilities of where I’d go and who I would go with…

Thank goodness for dreams because without them, life would be boring.

Taking care of Mom

2010-11-07T17:57:00.000-08:00

Photography by: Simon Howden

It’s cool and dreary outside. I have a perfect view of a green shrubbery and the breeze that rocks the ferns. My mom just spilled carrot juice all over the walls and the beige carpet in her bedroom. I can hear her talking to the housekeeper from my home office. She keeps apologizing to Aide – Sorry, I don’t know what happened. Aide says, “It’s okay,” but the expression on her face earlier as she passed by my office with a bucket of soap and water, brush and towels, told me otherwise. You see, carrot juice is nearly impossible to get out. I should know. My white shirts have many orange spots from all the juices I have made my mother since I’ve been back from the hospital.

After weeks of coming back from the Gerson Institute and spending many sleepless nights, I was finally able to find part-time help. Taking care of a cancer patient is really tough. Sometimes I want to give-up but I know that I can’t. My family has been helping me a little. You’d be amazed how much that little bit helps. If I didn’t have that, I would for sure go completely crazy. And my friends have been great. They have been calling me just to chat and to keep me sane. We’ve been out a few times for dinner.

Ever since my mom has gotten sick, my days have become monotonous. I get up before Dawn, prepare her coffee and tea enema, make her apple juice, fix an oatmeal breakfast, wake my mom up and go take a shower. I would give anything for a day when I could just sleep in or for a day when I have absolutely nothing to do except to take a day trip to San Diego or Santa Barbara. For now those days are gone. So I try to look at things from a positive angle in order to prevent myself from falling into depression.

On the positive side, after all the efforts that I have put in, my mom’s health has improved tremendously. We’re both eating healthier and I have gained knowledge about how to prevent diseases. In fact, the information I have learned is going to help me with my third book.

Happy Halloween

2010-10-30T23:18:00.000-07:00

The Gerson Institute

2010-10-26T15:40:00.000-07:00

Photograph by: jscreationzs

I spent three weeks with my mom at The Gerson Institute in Mexico. Our experiences have been amazing and hard to explain in one blog post. But because all that I have learned will be helpful to many with cancer and other diseases, I'll give a short version for now. We learned that cancer is curable without drugs, chemo or surgery. In fact, the majority of diseases are curable without putting unnecessary chemicals in your body. My mom’s cancer therapy has been intense physically, psychologically and emotionally. Before agreeing to accompany my mother there, I had no idea about the many difficulties and obstacles I would face. I just thought it’s simply a nutritional therapy. How difficult can that possibly be? Boy, was I wrong!

Saying that the Gerson therapy is labor intensive would be an understatement. On the positive side, they have a 100% success rate as long you follow their program, never modify it and do exactly as they tell you. Before going to Gerson, my brother did a lot of research regarding their program and forwarded his findings to me. After watching documentary after documentary of recovering patients, I soon became convinced that their program works. Up to date, I have seen slow and steady improvements in my mom’s health.

The toughest part about coming back home has been dealing with doctors who don’t understand the Gerson program and make every possible effort to force you to do things their way. Even some friends and family members criticize you. I just tell them to do their own research about Gerson, and then come and talk to me. But they continue to offer their unwanted advice because they’re either too lazy to learn, or because they have been brain washed by the faulty information fed to them their entire lives.

If any of you are interested in learning more about how to survive cancer and other diseases without chemicals and surgery, you may visit Gerson.org. I’m planning to continue blogging when possible. As most of you know, I’m still taking care of my mom and my time is very limited. So, Please be patient with me.

Terminal Cancer

2010-08-02T02:13:00.000-07:00

My mom has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. I hope that the doctors are wrong. I’m going to be spending the majority of my time with my mother and my family. So I will not be posting anything on my website, blog, twitter or facebook. I’m eventually planning to come back, but as of right now I do not know when. Thank you everyone for your support and friendship. All my best to all of you for good health and happiness.

My Mom and Me

2010-07-02T16:04:00.000-07:00

One of the hardest things in life is to watch parents turn into children as they age. My Mom’s health is deteriorating and there’s no one in my family who wants to take care of her except me. Oh, there are one or two friends and family who offer their few hours of temporary help but they have no idea what it takes to take care of my mom. If they knew, they would run like hell. You see, my mother doesn’t like anybody except me which is a curse at times. She is one of the most impossible people I have ever known but I cannot give-up on her because she was always there for me, because I do not abandon my responsibilities and because I love her – after all, she is my mom. Unfortunately though, I cannot plan anything. I just go from moment to moment. My days turn into nights and my nights into days as my life moves forward toward no direction.

And I wouldn’t mind all this so much if she didn’t complain 24/7, cooperated and did what the doctors told her. But she fights everything and at times, I’m truly too exhausted to do much else. I do not know for how long this will continue. Everyday I hope that things would get better so that I could get some normalcy in my life.

Outsiders do not understand as they ask why aren’t you on twitter or facebook, why aren’t you working on a new book or why did you get back to me so late? It’s difficult to explain my mom to anyone. Only those who have known her for years such as my father who is also extremely difficult in a different way than mom knows what she’ like. I’m not trying to make excuses but this is my reality. I haven’t the foggiest clue about how things will turn out. For now, I’m just doing the best that I can. And if you ask what is one of the most important things to me this very minute, I’d have to say, please life, do not let me turn out like mom and dad when I get old. But you know what they say, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. And perhaps that’s one of the biggest fears I have – picking up all the bad habits of my parents once I reach their age. Although I have told all my friends, if I ever pick up my parents’ insufferable behaviors, just shoot me :)

My Review of The Sitting Swing

2010-06-28T18:36:00.000-07:00

This weekend I finished reading The Sitting Swing which I liked very much. Here are some thoughts and reflection on the book:

Each one of us is shaped by our past – our strengths and our weaknesses, our likes and dislikes, our attitudes and our indifference toward life. This in turn impacts our present and future. Of course, there is a way to rewrite it all and to reprogram ourselves. In Irene Watson’s Memoir, The Sitting Swing, Irene searches for her identity and her purpose in life.

Her journey starts at a center for people with addiction and co-dependence and as she evolves for the next 28 days, the reader learns about her difficult childhood years, her strange controlling mother, her cool indifferent father and her extended family and cousins who mistreat her. Along the way, Irene makes a great friend named Margie who looks out for her, is supportive and helps her survive a life in a small community where everyone is in everyone’s business. Years later, as she loses touch with Margie, Irene meets yet another wonderful friend named Jean who helps her in her search to find herself. Ms. Watson learns that there is an entire world out there, different than the world she has known and different than the world she has envisioned.

What I enjoyed most about The Sitting Swing was that the writer wants to help readers see that they too can change their lives by asking the hard questions, who am I? What is it that I want? How has negative past events influenced me? And how can I make the small everyday changes in order to live a more fulfilled life. And although the story ends with references to “God” and “The Higher Power” which may not be palatable to those who are not religious, I still do believe that even they can benefit from this book by learning how to analyze their situation in life, by looking within and by being honest with their answers in order to figure out their own path.

I highly recommend The Sitting Swing. The story moves along smoothly, the characters are vivid and the plot interesting. Irene weaves her past and her present in a tale that is sure to touch everyone.

Malware: Trojans and virus and why I love them

2010-06-14T19:17:00.000-07:00

Photography by: Salvatore Vuono

Yesterday morning after I turned on my PC and waited patiently for my files to load, you sent me a present – colorful lines vibrating up and down my monitor, making me think I had lost all my files and that my system had crashed. Now had you done this to me five years ago, I may have panicked and rushed to the idiots who work for large computer chains who don’t know their left hand from their right but oooopsssss you didn’t do this to me five years ago, you did this yesterday and in fact you have been doing this to me consistently ever since I signed up for twitter.

What’s the matter with you cowards? Are you afraid that I seek the truth and post it online? You and I both know major news is controlled by big $$$$$ and the amount of misinformation fed to the unassuming public is horrendous. Luckily, I know when you’re trying to feed me junky bias information. And every time, you try to break me, I come out that much stronger. So baby, you’re wasting your time.

Once I learn all the ways to protect myself while online, I will pass it on to all my friends. So, thanks. Thank you so much. Because you see, I am a procrastinator by nature and often let things slip by but I love it when you aggravate me and light up the fire that pushes me to crush all your lies. In fact, I’ve been procrastinating about posting on my blog for some time and you dear friend, inspired me to write about this. Much love and thanks to you. Kiss Kiss :)))

And to anyone reading this, here is a few suggestions until I can think up of more ways to beat these hackers whose brains are smaller than a green pea!

Don’t be lazy like me and back up your files everyday.
Make sure you have several copies of your files stashed in various places and not just in your home, especially if you’re an activist.
Save your money to purchase more PC/Laptops. It sounds like a waste but it’s not. Even if you buy extra used ones, it’s good to have them around, especially if your work depends on it.
Change your passwords frequently. And put passwords on your important documents. Sure they can hack it anyway, but why let them get by so easily. Make them sweat and work for it.
Have a bunch of anti-virus, Trojan and spyware detectors because if one program misses the problem, the other one will catch it.
Have lots of friends so that you can all help each other out. Because there’s always a friend who knows someone who knows someone who can help.
Never ever panic. Be like a hacker when your system doesn’t work. Think and don’t be afraid to try different things. Remember, a hacker was never born a hacker. He/she kept playing around with their PC to learn the ropes.
Oh and once you proudly fix the problem, give your hacker the finger because it feels so mmmm good!

Am I a computer expert? Absolutely not. I’m just like the rest of you but I never ever give-up and I be dammed if I’m going to let the idiots who hack me, beat me. I always ask a lot of questions, watch to see how others do it, read anything I can get my hands on and never let anyone tell me what I’m capable or not capable of doing. Trust me, hackers are not that smart, they’re just malicious. Always stay calm in any situation and your brain will figure out a way to beat them at their own game.

A Farewell to Jorge Mester

2010-05-25T15:32:00.000-07:00

My friend and I had dinner at a great café in Echo Park before attending a Symphony at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. The surprise of the evening came when Jorge Mester announced that he was retiring and the performance we were attending was his last. It saddened me to see such a talented man retire. I must admit that I don’t know much about music, and basically listen to what I like. I don’t really care if something is popular or not, and I have never been one to follow trends. But to me, Jorge Mester has always been an amazing man. The first time I listened to him conduct a piano concerto, I knew how lucky I was to be in the presence of such a wonderful, energetic person with a great sense of humor and a deep passion for his work. As his orchestra followed his leadership, the music created touched me to the core.

On his last night, Jennifer Frautschi played the violin flawlessly, and later came back out after an standing ovation to talk to the crowd about her wonderful experiences as a child and how Mr. Mester had never given up on her and had kept inviting her back as she improved after each performance.

For me, it was tough to see Jorge Mester go as his colleagues showered him with flowers, champagne and gifts. But it was even tougher for his orchestra to say farewell as one of the performers read a letter addressed to him out loud with teary eyes and a lump in her voice. Yes, indeed the Pasadena Symphony will never be the same without him. The next conductor who replaces Jorge Mester will have to fill up a pretty big pair of shoes. I do not envy him or her. Here are some pictures of the memorable night.

We started at Masa, a bakery and café in Echo Park with great panini sandwiches and pizzas and a warm ambiance.

It’s still early and not all tables are filled. If you plan to go there, get there early or expect to wait a long time!

Their speciality: chocolate Bread pudding not to be missed because no other place makes it like here. Sorry, this picture doesn’t do it justice. The taste is absolutely extraordinary.

We left stuffed. This is the pix of the outside – low key but absolutely one of my favorite places.

We arrived at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, a beautiful piece of architecture with many intricate details which my old cell phone fails to capture.

Inside the auditorium, doors open, inviting the guests in. A raffle was going on for a Harry Winston watch. I almost bought a ticket but the cost of the raffle, a whopping $100 bucks, stopped me. I’m not a gambler nor do I need a $27,000 watch. If the ticket was $20, I may have bought one. And if I had won, I would've sold the watch and used a portion of the money to help out a friend of mine whose been having some bad luck and has been in a really terrible mood lately.

A blurry photo of the ceiling. You would think I would be able to take a good picture of something that’s not moving but then again I never said I was good at photography :)

Inside the Auditorium, getting ready to perform

The spunky Jorge Mester conducting

Flowers and gifts for Jorge Mester

Hugs and farewells…ahhh…so sad…

The Crowd leaving. There were young people there as well, even though my camera manages to capture mostly the mature audience.

People hanging in the lobby and a long bathroom line for the ladies at the end of the hall.

We’re outside and off to our car.

No limo for us! But they were picking up a group. I think there was a prom going on in the building behind the limo because when we first arrived, girls were dressed in sexy gowns and boys in their suits. So cute!

And the end...

The Me Generation

2010-05-11T11:58:00.000-07:00

Photographer: Salvatore Vuono

If you’re going to have a heart attack, don’t do it while walking in LA. Of course this is a ridiculous statement because no one “plans” on having a heart attack. But the reality of it is that Angelenos living on the Westside don’t give a s--- about anyone except themselves, their looks, money, clothes and their cars.

So, why am I so cynical? May be because I’m upset about what happened on Mother’s day. Unlike the importance of Mother’s Day to so many, for me it’s meaningless because I have to take care of my mom everyday and I have to put in 100 times more of an effort caring for her than the average person. Nevertheless, I did take out my mom to a brunch and bought her gifts. Unfortunately on the way back, my car went dead on a busy street. I put on my hazard lights and tried to call AAA but all I got was a recording that said wait. Cars passed by and went around me but no one offered to help. One man offered his help but the cars behind him all started honking their loud horns, so he gave up and left.

I put my car in neutral and started pushing it to get it out of the way, but wasn’t successful because I needed someone to steer. My mom couldn’t help because she’s not in the best of health. The Police finally arrived. He wasn’t all that bright. He was tall and bony. I was staring at him thinking if I can easily punch this guy and knock him down, what would a criminal do to him? Honestly, why would the police department hire someone so inept?

Anyhow, he wanted to impound my car. I wanted to yell, “you idiot” but knew very well that I couldn’t. “My car is a stick shift and I just need help to get it out of the way.”

He says, “It doesn’t matter. I have to have it towed to one of our places. You’re blocking traffic on a busy street.”

Daahhh…you think? I wanted to say. “I just need someone to steer or push my car so that I can move it out of the way of traffic.

He looks at me dumfounded and says, “You want me to push your car?”

I wanted to be sarcastic and say, “Yes, that’s the idea you moron!!” But instead I just nodded and he starts pushing my car before I had a chance to sit in it and steer. I run after the car, jump in and the idiot yelled brake…brake. I ignored his stupid comment as I steered my car onto a side street and park in a 2 hour parking zone.

The idiot came by and said, “Oh, I see what you were doing. You wanted to park here?” All I could manage was a simple “yes,” because what do you say to a scarecrow? I mean if you were blocking traffic and had a stick shift, what would be the first thing that come to your mind? Get the f---- out of the way; right?

Anyway, to make a very long day short, I was never able to get ahold of AAA who has no problem charging me their yearly dues but fails to provide a service. Luckily, I was near a hotel and ended up abandoning my car and taking a taxi home. The police department threatened to impound my car if I didn’t move it come morning. Helpful; aren’t they?

By midnight I had managed to take care of everything myself, but I was so stressed out that the next day I woke up with a migraine and was sick all day, not because of all the car problems but because of lack of compassion in people. I have always been very independent, and where most people disappear at the first hint of problems, I have taken on many responsibilities. So, I’m not one of those damsels in stress, but I can’t help but compare the way I treat strangers and the way they treat me. Granted, there are good people in this world but they are a rare breed. As each day passes us by, we are moving toward a more callous and unfeeling society.

I was reading an article the other day about this Good Samaritan in New York who noticed a man attacking a woman. He went to her rescue. The attacker stabbed him in the torso with a knife and took off. After chasing his assailant, the man collapses to the ground as pedestrians walked on by, watching him lay in a pool of blood. The woman he had helped save had abandoned him as well. An hour passed by and no one lifted a finger to help until someone decided to call 911. By the time the Good Samaritan got help, he was dead. So, are people just “indifferent” or is that thought process too simplified?

I believe that we are all trapped in The Me Generation. What’s in it for me…me…me…me. There’s no sense of responsibility whatsoever. I mean the younger generation yells, save the environment, go green or save the economy or help change politics but the bottom line is many are only worried about their own pockets and futures. And it is true that people are all busy running around and don’t have a lot of time to assist everybody but there are many times when they do have the time but they don’t help.

My car broke down on a Sunday – a day when the sun was shinning brightly and people were more relaxed and had the time to help. They all saw me pushing my car by myself and not one pedestrian or one driver came by to say, “here, let me help push it with you or at least say “here, I will steer and you push.” Lucky for me, the incident wasn’t that grave and I was able to take care of it myself. But what if something much more serious had happened like what happened to that Good Samaritan from New York? Would anyone reach out to help? I doubt it. I have helped many on the streets of Los Angeles and during my travels while others casually looked over and passed on by. Which brings me to my first point: If you’re going to have a heart attack, don’t do it while walking in LA or perhaps anywhere else in a big city because nobody gives a s---.

Chinatown

2010-04-27T17:07:00.000-07:00

They say there’s always a story behind pictures. Well, I’m no photographer but lately my mom hasn’t been feeling all that well and I drive for an hour once a week to Chinatown so that she can go see a Chinese herbalist and acupuncturist doctor whose office is at the end of a Chinese mini-market. It’s quite an interesting atmosphere. The aroma of herbs and specialty foods linger in the air as I wait for my mom to be poked by bunch of needles.

For those of you who have never tried it and are squeamish, acupuncture doesn’t hurt as long as you hold still and try to relax. It’s a strange feeling the first time you do it. It has a tingling sensation. Sometimes if you have injured an area such as your back badly, you will feel more of a discomfort, especially if the tiny needle sits on a bone but it’s only a discomfort at most.

Anyhow, during one of my visits to Chinatown, I decided to take some pictures for my blog and share a corner of an old culture in Los Angeles for those of you who are thinking about visiting my hometown. I say a corner because to a tourist it doesn’t seem that complicated, but if that tourist had a Chinese friend as I do, then the traditions and the benefits of the items on the shelves and the history and meaning behind each peace of what seems like knickknacks to the average westerner becomes much more complex than that which was originally anticipated.

The first time I was introduced to Chinatown by a friend, who was born in Hong Kong and speaks Cantonese as opposed to Mandarin which is more common in the rest of China, I was simply amazed. And this will not be the last time you will hear me talk of it. As I learn more and more myself, I will share my experiences with those who stop by my blog. So without further ado, here are some pictures my amateur eyes and hands took. I hope you will enjoy them.

Below is a photo of the metro taken from a parking lot. The green structure you see isn’t exactly your typical modern Los Angeles look but rather designed to blend in with the rest of the Chinatown architecture which is what gives it a special charm. You may click on any of the photos to see it enlarged with more details.

Here is a street view East of the Saigon Plaza.

The Saigon Plaza is packed on weekends and at times it's impossible not to bang into someone. So you must watch out for your wallet and purse! Street vendors sell anything from fresh sugar juice as they put the sugar beets in their special blenders to decorative Hello Kitty pillows to jewelry and hair decorations, purses and luggage, t-shirts, socks, toys and whatever else you can imagine for very reasonable prices.

Here is a mini-market with all sorts of Chinese delicacies, diet teas, green tea candies, dishes, pots and pans and an herbal pharmacy where you can only buy herbs with a prescription from the herbalist and acupuncturist doctor who works here.

And so my mom was hungry after being poked by needles and we ended up eating at a quaint hole in the wall called JC Café.

The friendly girl working in front stops passersby and offers them samples of fruit smoothies, cold boba milk teas and sometimes appetizer-sized chicken or pork.

And alas, I order our lunch as by now I’m hungry as well. The girl behind the counter is really nice as she explains the dishes. Now, I’m quite familiar with the “American” version of Chinese food, but here I need to be careful because if I don’t ask, I may end up eating chicken feet or some other body part for which I don’t care for, especially since I’m a vegetarian and my mom ...well, let’s just say she doesn’t care for “creative” delicacies she's not used to eating.

I ordered a green tea jasmine boba. No pix as it came in a Styrofoam cup and looked pale, but nevertheless, it was tasty and definitely different.

My mom's egg rolls and my freshly made wild mushroom chow mein arrives but by the time I’m ready to take a picture, my mom has already taken a bite of her egg roll. So, sorry about the half egg roll.

My mom’s Pork Won Ton Soup. She insists on me trying it. So, I break my vegetarian promise to myself and try it. It’s really delicious. I feel guilty as my mom offers me another piece. I say no way.

Okay, so after we chowed, we walk a bit further down to an outdoor mall named Chinatown. Here is a picture of the end entrance of it before we walk in.

A wishing fountain.

Kids throwing in pennies and dimes and making a wish.

A beautiful building. Inside there are some shops and to my left which you cannot see here is a bakery. I did stop by to buy Chinese rolls to take home but the line was way too long and I left.

Another wishing fountain. Whereas the other one had better landscaping, this one has a really detailed fountain.

A girl and a couple making a wish and an amateur photographer tourist.

I thought the name of this shop was funny – Sincere Imports. I suppose they couldn’t have named it Insincere Imports because people would be hesitant to shop there.

As you see, you can find just about anything here from fake jewels to kimonos and wallets made of various silk fabrics.

More shops and walking areas. It was such a beautiful sunny day with a cool breeze coming through.

Side walk cafes and lots of lanterns.

Last photo: The front entrance of the mall.

Did last night’s Oscars represent progress or stalemate?

2010-03-08T15:48:00.000-08:00

Photographer: Francesco Marino

The Oscars wasn’t all that last night. Many who showed up looked as if they were obligated to show up. Everyone looked too serious and when they smiled, their smiles lacked joie de vivre. And with the exception of Steve Martin, others were not all that funny. But this is nothing compared to the awards given away.

Some may agree and others may not but the Oscars needs to add a new category: the humanities award. Yes, some movies and actors won for films and roles that were important in terms of individual struggles and the nation by nation struggles. But what about the films that dealt with the major issues that have a tremendous impact on today’s world. Problems that if left unchecked, may actually wipe out humanity in the long run and create an atmosphere where there’s no freedom and no voice for the people - a world where a handful of corrupt will be making decisions for humanity.

Unfortunately though, the majority don’t want to see the truth. Their only concern is the symptom and not the disease. The Oscars did just that. It gave the ultimate award to the movie that was a symptom of a gigantic disease. Simply put, you can’t go into lands where people have made a home, kill their families and children, steal their resources, rob them of their livelihood and expect them to be subservient and not fight back. Avatar saw the disease and exposed it for what it was – greed, corruption, hunger for power and an insatiable appetite for wealth and expansion. Because at the end of the day, the affluent will continue to control the world and the rest of humanity will be their slaves. It is said that ¾ of the world population works to keep ¼ of the world population wealthy. Thus, for a substantial change to take place, it is more important to focus on the cure for the disease rather than the symptom.

With that said, two major films that were more important than everything else made in 2009 were Food Inc. and Avatar. For those who do not understand why these two films represent a huge chunk of corruption in our world, it’s crucial to read, read and read and understand the world in its entirety and not just “the homeland where one lives.” For those who are in tune, bravo for knowing exactly what’s going on. And yes, history shows that this is all nothing new but if no one cares, the cycle will never be broken and what we label as “progress” will be nothing but a “stalemate.”

The Savage Practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

2010-03-05T14:22:00.000-08:00

Female Genital mutilations is an excruciating painful procedure, often performed without anesthesia causing injury to the female genital organs. Those committing these barbaric humiliating acts, mainly in Africa and Asia, have decided to change the name of this horrific process to Female Genital Cutting (FGC). Several psychological effects are anxiety, depression and post traumatic stress disorder.

Some physical side effects are urinary and reproductive tract infections, scarring, infertility, cyst growth, postpartum hemorrhage and death. The cowards who promote the procedure hide under the pretext of “tradition & culture” but it is important for the world to know that the main reason behind it is to eliminate sexual pleasure. One may often wonder why generations of women pass this savage practice to their daughters and granddaughters and the answer is simple – they have been brainwashed since a young age when they too had to go through this procedure.

Efforts to stop these barbaric acts have been hindered by the uneducated and backward groups who point at the “cultural imperialism” of western countries. Families, who live in countries such as England, where genital mutilation is illegal, often send their children back to their homeland in Africa or Asia to commit these backwards procedures or they perform the acts in secrecy. Unfortunately, governments who have rendered these acts as illegal often do not punish their residents and citizens because they consider the cases a “low priority” or they may not want to get involved because it's "politically incorrect" to stop a savage "cultural practice."

According to Amnesty international, 130 million women have undergone FGM. The United Nations has declared February 6 as International Day Against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). To learn more, you may visit equalitynow.org.

I hate paperwork

2010-03-04T15:01:00.000-08:00

I’m lazy today. Got up late, had breakfast, read for awhile and now I’m drinking a hot cup of fair-trade organic Sumatra. My work area overlooks a yard covered with a combination of soil and red bricks and bordered with green shrubbery. In the center there’s what used to be a rectangular fountain but it no longer works. There’s no water in it and yet it has that old-fashioned rustic feel surrounded by green plants and several huge pots of pink and yellow Orchids. My room is rarely neat. I try but it seems to enjoy pulling me back to the way it once was – chaotic, eclectic and a mish mush of stuff piling peacefully here and there in harmony.

It’s a funky day here – the sky is filled with I don’t know what and the sun can’t quite makeup its mind as it comes and goes. I have paperwork to do but am procrastinating. It all becomes so extremely overwhelming because there’s so much of it. Sometimes, I want to shred everything and live somewhere where there’s no need for paper. Oh and did I forget to mention the massive junk that comes into my mail box and no I’m not referring to email box ’cause that’s a whole different monster in itself. I suppose these issues are tiny nuances compared to the many difficulties people face all over the world but today for some reason or another they’re bugging me and I thought I throw that in the air and share it with whoever stops by my blog.

What I did this weekend

2010-02-28T22:39:00.000-08:00

Photographer: Francesco Marino

This weekend was very busy for me and a bit tiring. I’ve been taking an online course with Gary Goldstein titled Scaling the Wall of Hollywood. There are about 2 dozen or so people in our group. So on Thursday, when Gary asked those of us living in Los Angeles if we were interested in taking a workshop at the Writers Guild on how to make a short film, most of us dropped everything we had planned earlier and jumped at the opportunity. I know what you’re thinking…That I’m a novelist; why would I be taking a course in film. But it’s all tied in. Many authors want to promote their books to Hollywood and so the more we all learn about the industry the better. So, here I was, the only person in the group who had never written a script or had ever made a short film.

But I’m glad I did it because I learned a lot. Basically, Gary’s course which I will be part of for the next 7 weeks and the workshop I took were all teaching the mistakes many make when they write a script or direct a short film. So, Saturday was an information overload day for me and I was really exhausted, especially since I have no film background and I really needed to focus in order to grasp all the great information. By the time I got home, all I wanted to do was to have dinner, watch a little TV and sleep.

My day on Sunday was more relaxing. It was my friend’s birthday and I had invited her to have brunch at the Queen Mary in Long Beach, about a 45-minute ride from Los Angeles. Afterwords, we went to the Aquarium in downtown Long Beach and later walked around for an hour. It was late by the time we got back. Here are a few pictures I took with my iPhone while there. I hope you’ll enjoy them.

2010-02-12T20:36:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Weekend

Photographer: graur razvan ionut - love is in the air

Iran's Green Movement is unstoppable

2010-02-12T19:44:00.000-08:00

CNN reported that 100s of thousands of people came out in support of Iran's government, but according to many Iranian sources, majority of these people were uneducated villagers picked up in bus loads by Iran’s current regime and brought into the cities. They were poor and paid off by the government in terms of money or food, some so desperate that they were content with a sack of potatoes. The rest who showed up in favor of the current regime either worked for the Iranian government, were families of those who worked for Iran’s government or were benefiting from the current regime. CNN went on to report that only a few hundred protesters showed up in the capital, Tehran. In another interview, Ted Rowland of CNN told Bijan Khalili that he must be disappointed since the protest wasn’t as large as expected. He then went on and interviewed Pooya Dayanim who said SMS, Google, Twitter, Gmail, Facebook and all the main sources of communications were cut off by the Iranian government. Add to that all the major streets blocked off by the basiji, the protesters had difficulties coordinating their efforts. I found it interesting that Ted Rowland of CNN kept repeating the word “disappointment.” What Ted Rowland and other reporters need to understand is that the green movement is now unstoppable even without the backing of foreign governments.

History has proven that we cannot trust most governments or politicians and should always question their motives. Oftentimes these governments create an illusion that they disapprove of a regime when at the same time they make deals with them under the table as this anonymous person interviewed on CNN video explained. And if you don’t believe him, have a look at the Iran-contra affair where arms were sold to Iran by the Reagan Administration while the Reagan administration openly disapproved of Iran. Politicians from all countries have been doing this for centuries, and so, no one knows for sure who is in favor of the current Iran's government and who is in favor of the reformists unless one has insider information. But we do know “people” from all over the world are in favor of Iran’ s green movement as they come out and speak out. In people we trust, in governments…well, that’s another story.

Of course it’s important to note that had Iran’s government provided for their people and took less profit for themselves, it would have been possible for Iran to make changes through reform. But when people cannot feed their families, when there are no jobs and the majority of the youth who are bored to death are either druggies or are seeking a way to escape to another country and when the gap between the haves and the have-nots are so huge that the haves burn money and the have-nots have to sell their daughters and wives into prostitution, problems ensue. For Iranians there was no hope for the future and add to that a faux election….oh vow!

Today, there is one thing clear to all Iranians. Iran will never be the same as the Iran of the Islamic Revolution. Had Iran had a stable economy and low unemployment and had they bought themselves some extra time to negotiate with Mousavi by agreeing at the beginning of the election to recount the votes and create an “illusion of recount” as did the Bush Administration when they stole the presidency from Al Gore, perhaps things would’ve turned out differently. The current Iranian government could have just claimed that they counted the votes and Ahamdinejad won and asked Mousavi to remain quiet in order to prevent chaos as the US did when Al Gore stepped aside. But when Iran refused to even create an “illusion of recount”, they lost their hold on the Iranian population. And now it is too late to turn back. And it doesn’t matter what any media says. After many arrests, tortures, rapes and murders, the Iranian movement cannot be stopped and at some point a change will take place.

Link: ABC's Diane Sawyer chats w/ Mehdi Saharkhiz – the man behind the videos

2009-12-23T12:56:00.000-08:00

Christmas Banners by: Simon Howden

Believe By Josh Groban

Good Reads

2009-12-21T19:34:00.000-08:00

Photographer: Francesco Marino

I found out today that goodreads, a place where reviewers post their reviews, has kicked out Reader Views. This is what they had told them: "Subject to the terms and conditions of this agreement, goodreads grants you permission to use the Service for your personal, non-commercial purposes only."

But for the life of me, I have no idea why they would kick out ReaderViews and not the many other reviewers who are “commercial” and post their reviews on their site. And what about some of those publishing houses that send hundreds and hundreds of their employees under the disguise of "readers" to post favorable reviews about their clients’ books - they do this on amazon and thousands of other websites. At least Reader Views only gives a positive review if the book deserves it.

What’s interesting is after ReaderViews told them that other reviewers are doing the same thing, goodreads replied, “give us their names and we will look into it.” Now I don’t know about you, but when I was a kid, my mama told me never to snitch on your peers. So, Irene Watson of Reader Views followed suit and said: “It is not my intention to be the gatekeeper for goodreads, and as reviewers we support each other and are not out to destroy each other.” Ironically, ReaderViews does exactly what its name represents – it gives the book to randomly selected readers and readers write up a review. Once the reader reviews it, ReaderViews has no control over the outcome of the review be it good or bad.

Twitter Faux Pas

2009-12-10T18:41:00.000-08:00

Photographer: Tina Phillips

When you RT your friends, please don’t cut off the person who originated the info. It’s not good twitter etiquette and the person you cut off will not forget it. A few days ago, I RTd a tweep on some great photography he had researched. A friend of mine RTd me, cut off his name and just used my name. Then others who knew him ended up RTing the photographs, giving me credit for it. And although I really do appreciate the fact that they went out of their way and RTd me, I was embarrassed at the same time. Because had it not been for the originator, I would have never had that link to begin it.

A few days after that, I had spend time researching some info on the book industry. When I posted it, a magazine RTd my info and I thanked them. Then as I was going through a list of my tweeps to see if they had interesting info for me to RT, I noticed a tweep who had cut off my name and kept the magazine’s name. This was really irritating since I was the one who had researched the story.

So, why did the above two tweeple had committed a faux pas? Perhaps because they wanted to make sure that their tweets had enough room in case someone wanted to RT them. In such cases, one has 3 choices. One, if the tweet takes up too much space, then don’t RT it or abbreviate it. Two, as painful as it may be, it’s always better to keep the name of the originator of the story and get rid of your friend’s name. Three, you may choose to tweet it twice once with name of your friend and once with the name of the originator. I realize this is a lot of work but in the long run, you’ll see that it’s worth it as it adds credibility to your tweets, your name and your business. And by the way, I am guilty of doing the same thing in past and had to learn not to do this because it was not the appropriate thing to do. Cheers and happy tweeting.

Age gives you wisdom that the young will never know

2009-12-02T12:56:00.000-08:00

Photography by: Tom Curtis

“Youth is wasted on the young” ~George Bernard Shaw

Today I’m a much happier person than when I was in my 20s and 30s. My whole life, I have never been a sheep by following other people's path. I have lived my life exactly the way I wanted and have done everything I have always wanted. So if I happen to die tomorrow, I will die a happy person with no regrets. But many people are not like me. Their eyes are always on what someone else has and does - they compare themselves to those around them. However, this is not a good philosophy because it makes them feel unfulfilled - the more they have, the less satisfied they feel.

When living your life, you must ask yourself what is it that “you” want to do with your life and not what the society wants you to do. Many are so concerned about impressing others with their careers, their competitive streaks and their successes. They have this need for the world to envy them and in the process they lose themselves and become nothing but an empty shell with little character. Of course, when you’re young, you don’t see this and you think you’re on the right path.

It is important to set goals but it is just as important to make sure that you enjoy the process of reaching them. And your goal can be as big as wanting to be a CEO to as small as wanting to have a small beautiful garden by next spring. But nevertheless, they are both goals and the person who enjoys the process instead of focusing so much on the end result is the real success. This is just my observation on life. I may be wrong or I may be right but it doesn’t matter. My goal today was to write a short article and I have not only enjoyed the process, I have accomplished what I set out to do. So, if you happen to pass by my blog, remember to enjoy life and worry less about how the world perceives you. Life is short and whizzes by at a lightening speed. Fill it up with love, family and friends and finding happiness in the small things.